Vincent Lecavalier
| birth_place = L'Île-Bizard, Quebec, Canada | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 4 | weight_lb = 216 | position = Centre | shoots = Left | played_for = Tampa Bay Lightning Ak Bars Kazan Philadelphia Flyers Los Angeles Kings | ntl_team = CAN | draft = 1st overall | draft_year = 1998 | draft_team = Tampa Bay Lightning | career_start = 1998 | career_end = 2016 | website = vinny4.com }} Vincent Lecavalier (born April 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who most recently played for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vincent Lecavalier was the captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2000–2001 season and between the 2008–2013 and spent his first 14 NHL seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning before being bought out following the 2012–13 season and signing with the Philadelphia Flyers for $22.5 million over 5 years. He was chosen first overall by the Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and was a member of their 2004 Stanley Cup championship team. He won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in 2007 as the NHL's leading goal scorer. On February 10, 2018, the Tampa Bay Lightning retired his number 4 jersey. Playing career Rimouski Océanic Lecavalier played two years of junior hockey for the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his tenure, he quickly established himself as one of the NHL's top prospects. In his first season with the Océanic, he won the Michel Bergeron Trophy as the QMJHL's top rookie forward, and the RDS Cup as the top rookie overall. Tampa Bay Lightning (1998–2013) Lecavalier was drafted first overall by Tampa Bay in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, during which new Lightning owner Art Williams proclaimed that Lecavalier would be "the Michael Jordan of hockey".http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2007/03/30/vincent-lecavalier-nets-goal-50/ He was renamed captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning on September 18, 2008. In mid-January 2009, rumours were swirling around a possible trade which would send Lecavalier to the Montreal Canadiens, his hometown, but Brian Lawton later stated that Lecavalier would rather stay in Tampa Bay for the rest of his career. Lecavalier confirmed in his own words his preference of playing in Tampa Bay over his native Montreal. On January 24, at the NHL's superskills competition, Lecavalier received a standing ovation from the Montreal crowd that lasted for 30 seconds when he was being introduced. Lecavalier underwent season-ending wrist surgery on April 3, 2009. On January 21, 2013, Lecavalier played in his 1000th NHL game, becoming the 280th NHL player to reach that milestone. His 1,000 games were all with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team honoured him on January 25, their next home game, with several gifts including an engraved silver stick. In June 2013, the New York Post reported that the Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs had discussed a trade which would have sent Lecavalier to Toronto; the Maple Leafs would receive an asset in exchange for buying out Lecavalier's contract and he would then be free to re-sign with Tampa as an unrestricted free agent at a lower salary cap hit. Though the Maple Leafs denied the report, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly promptly sent out a memo to all 30 league teams, warning them to avoid transactions deemed a circumvention of the collective bargaining agreement. The CBA prevents teams from re-signing players they've bought out for a minimum of one year. One day later, the Lightning announced that it was buying out Lecavalier's contract, allowing their longest serving player to become an unrestricted free agent. The buyout will pay Lecavalier a total of $32.67 million and rid the Lightning of his $7.727 million salary cap hit. Philadelphia Flyers (2013–2016) On July 2, 2013, less than a week after being bought out by the Lightning, Lecavalier signed with the Philadelphia Flyers who agreed to pay him $22.5 million over a five-year contract;Twitter.com: Ren Lavoie (RDS), "Vincent Lecavalier is now a member of the Flyers. 5 years / 22.5 M" which is in addition to the $2.33 million he will receive annually from the Lightning for the next 14 years. Lecavalier chose to wear number 40 with the Flyers as his usual number 4 had been retired by the Flyers in honour of Barry Ashbee. On November 27, 2013, Lecavalier made his first return to Tampa as a member of the Flyers and was welcomed with a tribute video as well as a long, standing ovation from Lightning fans. He scored a goal in his homecoming and was awarded the game's 3rd star. Lecavalier finished the season registering 20 goals and 17 assists, and scored his 400th career against the Boston Bruins on March 30, 2014. The Flyers qualified for the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, before being eliminated in seven games by the New York Rangers, in which Lecavalier had one goal and an assist in the series. The 2014-15 NHL season began quite poorly for Lecavalier, and on December 2, 2014 he was a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. On April 9, 2015 in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, Lecavalier fought twice against Hurricanes rookie Keegan Lowe, who was playing his first NHL game. Lecavalier didn't play the third period and may have suffered a concussion. Los Angeles Kings (2016) During the 2015–16 season, having played sparingly for the previous two seasons within the Flyers organization, Lecavalier was traded alongside Luke Schenn to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Jordan Weal and a third round pick on January 6, 2016. One of the stipulations of the trade was that Lecavalier would retire at the end of the season to keep the Kings from being saddled with his hit to the salary cap. With number 4 being retired for Rob Blake, Lecavalier chose number 44 for the Kings. He officially announced his retirement on June 21, 2016. Personal life Lecavalier went to John Rennie High School in Pointe-Claire, Quebec for two years (1992–1993) before transferring to Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada. He has been best friends with ex-Lightning centre Brad Richards, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2004 as Most Valuable Player of the NHL playoffs, since the age of 14, when they met at Notre Dame, where they were roommates and became best friends. Since then they have gone on to become teammates with the Rimouski Océanic, the Tampa Bay Lightning and also with Ak Bars Kazan. Lecavalier currently resides in Tampa's Davis Island. Lecavalier began dating Caroline Portelance in 2001. After ten years of dating, the two were married in 2011. Together, they have three children: Victoria, Gabriel and Amelia. He is featured in The Rocket: The Maurice Richard Story. Lecavalier portrayed legendary Montréal Canadiens centre, Jean Béliveau. He wears number 4 to honour Béliveau and legendary Boston Bruins defenceman Bobby Orr. EA Sports' video game NHL 06 featured Lecavalier as the cover athlete. In October 2007, Lecavalier pledged $3 million to a new All Children's Hospital facility under construction in St. Petersburg, Florida. The facility was named the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in his honour. Career statistics Regular season and playoffs *Totals- 1,005 pts. Reg. Season & playoffs combined International Canada}} Awards & Honors Junior *QMJHL All-Rookie Team – 1997 *Michel Bergeron Trophy (QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year) – 1997 *RDS Cup (QMJHL Rookie of the Year) – 1997 *CHL All-Rookie Team – 1997 *CHL Rookie of the Year – 1997 *QMJHL First All-Star Team – 1998 *Mike Bossy Trophy (QMJHL Top Draft Prospect) – 1998 *CHL First All-Star Team – 1998 *CHL Top Draft Prospect Award – 1998 NHL *Stanley Cup champion – 2004 *Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy – 2007 *NHL Second All-Star Team – 2007 *King Clancy Memorial Trophy – 2008 *NHL Foundation Player Award – 2008 *NHL All-Star Game – 2003, 2007, 2008 (captain), 2009 International *World Cup of Hockey champion – 2004 *World Cup of Hockey All-Star Team – 2004 *World Cup of Hockey MVP – 2004 See also *List of NHL players with 1000 games played References External links }} Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players Category:Member of the Canadian National Team Category:2006 Olympian Category:Born in 1980 Category:Canadian ice hockey players Category:Rimouski Oceanic players Category:Ak Bars Kazan players Category:1998 Debut Category:National Hockey League first overall draft picks Category:Tampa Bay Lightning draft picks Category:NHL Players that have scored a hat trick Category:Stanley Cup champions Category:Philadelphia Flyers players Category:National Hockey League All-Stars Category:Rocket Richard Trophy winners Category:Los Angeles Kings players Category:Retired in 2016 Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers